8 research outputs found
University-Industry Collaboration: where to next?
No full textThe focus on the third mission of Universities is now some decades old. Boyer’s assertion that ‘theory simply cannot be divorced from practice’ and that any consideration of the role of faculty ‘must give new dignity and new status to the scholarship of application’ (Boyer, 1992) has been embodied in the almost ubiquitous linking of scholarship to real world issues and applications. There is a general acceptance that the knowledge and skills required in existing and emerging labour markets are often not well served by universities while at the same time there is a realisation that these skill requirements are rapidly changing (Muller, 2015). Collaboration between universities and industries is seen as essential to innovation sys-tems, with a number of researchers pointing to the impact of such collaboration on both the company’s ability to innovate and the generation of economic value within the country and the region. In Ireland a plethora of documents and a range of agencies purport to support and incentivise various forms of engage-ment interactions (Department of Education and Skills, 2017, 2016, 2015). Despite the significant apparent importance placed on university enterprise interactions, concrete measures of impact are severely lacking. Focus at a government agency level tends to be on the (relatively few) impact measures associated with technology transfer activity (Knowledge Transfer Ireland) while the myriad of more common interactions such work-placement opportunities for students, industry-based project activity, site visits, cultural and community interactions, subject matter expert seminars and customised and practice-based learning for those in the workplace tend not to attract as much attention. This full range of possible interactions has been the focus of the work of the CIT Extended Campus – a codification of interactions and an engagement mapping exercise provide a valuable perspective on the potential of collaboration across the academic-industry divide. It is recognised that the motivation and ability to collaborate changes with company size, sector and culture. Geography impacts on collaboration with many companies in collaboration with neighbouring universities, however the quality of the university is also a factor (Laursen, Reichstein, & Salter, 2011) (Fitjar & Gjelsvik, 2018). The factors that influence the scale and scope of engagement within a university differ from those which impact from the business perspective and while ‘the cultural divide between universities and industry runs deep’, effective measures can make a lasting difference (Science | Business Innovation Board, 2012). According to the Central Statistics Office over 99% of enterprises in Ireland are SMEs. While Cork Institute of Technology has worked to support interactions with all sectors and sizes of industry partners over many years it is still not clear that local industry has a knowledge of the possibilities and benefits of engaging. Using the initial results of the State of University-Business Cooperation study (Science to Business Mark-ing Research Centre, 2017) as a framework and question guide, a brief review of the motivators and barriers as experienced by small and medium enterprises is conducted and the findings provide some direction for future efforts
Facilitating External Engagement and Developing Industry-Focused Programmes in Cork Institute of Technology
No full textAs organisations focus on economic indicators and return on investment their approaches to learning and development opportunities are transformed. In a challenging, competitive climate there is a need to ensure that long and short term benefits are maximised. While engagement is often presented as a third mission of universities, encompassing the full range of external interactions with enterprises, individuals and communities, separate and distinct from the first two missions of teaching and research, is only effective if it is closely interlinked with them.
Vorley and Nelles (2008) describe the third mission as a ‘thread that has the capacity to weave together teaching and research, while assuming a more economic and societal focus’. As described by Goddard ‘Insofar as external engagement is taking place, the academic heartland is protected by specialist units dealing with technology transfer and continuing education. However the external engagement agenda… requires institutional responses, co-ordination and transversal mechanisms.’ (Goddard 2005: 30).
This case study describes the experience and issues raised for Cork Institute of Technology, a Higher Education Institution (HEI) in Ireland in responding to the challenges. The institute has created a dedicated unit to facilitate effective engagement with industry and to ensure that engagement is integrated and at the core of strategy and practice. This case study explores experiences in bridging the gap between the institution and industry and in implementing industry focused programmes developed in partnership, which are mutually beneficial and maintain academic standards. It also addresses the enablers, challenges and barriers in customised course development
The CIT Extended Campus Model
No full textIn 2006 the Higher Education Authority (HEA) in Ireland released a call for proposals under its Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF). The OECD (2004) review of higher education in Ireland had made a compelling case for reform of third and fourth level education in Ireland. In the context of increasingly difficult economic circumstances the SIF became an important driver for investment and reform of higher education. One projects funded under the SIF was the Education in Employment project focused on ensuring that higher education can serve the learning needs of those in the workplace, in a partnership model which recognises the role of the workplace itself as a valuable and valid centre for learning. Following from the Education in Employment project and in consideration of a broader range of potential engagement with external enterprises the Roadmap for Employment Academic Partnerships (REAP) project was proposed to the HEA with the intention of developing a blueprint to support a broad range of different interactions between Higher Education Institutions and employers. In recognising the breadth of engagement possibilities the project consortium developed a partnership continuum which saw the possibility of academic – enterprise relationships ranging from one of mutual awareness to one of strategic partnership similar to the ‘Stairway Model to Strategic Partnership’ described by Baaken and Schröder (2008).
The National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 (Department of Education and Skills 2011) stressed the potential for higher education to play a pivotal role in enhancing Ireland’s economic competitiveness. It also stated that greater engagement with wider communities has the potential to enhance equality in access to education and social cohesion. While the ‘engagement’ part of a HEI mission, encompassing the full range of external interactions with enterprises, individuals and communities, is often presented as distinct from the first two missions of Teaching and Research, it is only really effective if it is closely interlinked with them. Vorley and Nelles (2008) describe this third mission as a ‘thread that has the capacity to weave together teaching and research, while assuming a more economic and societal focus’. Adapting the learning derived from the SIF-funded projects the CIT Extended Campus was developed as a novel and unique response to embedding engagement within the entire mission of a HE institution and acting to support and professionalise the interface for all engagement activities.
Cork Institute of Technology’s Extended Campus is a new facility designed to support the two-way interactions of individuals and organisations with the HEI (Higher Education Institution) for knowledge exchange, lifelong learning and responsive engagement. There is a wealth of world-class research, learning and facilities available within Higher Education Institutions but it is not always clear to companies, enterprises, individuals or communities how to access, interface, or contribute to this knowledge. The aim of the CIT Extended Campus is to support and give recognition to these contributions by facilitating and providing a platform for the sharing of knowledge in both directions and enhancing opportunities for engagement with private, public and not-for-profit organisations
Memories of Our Youth: The Viral Spread of Radio Station Facebook Posts
No full textRadio and social media have developed a strong relationship in Ireland since the explosion in popularity of the latter from 2008 onward. Although the convergence of radio with Facebook in Ireland has allowed radio stations to reach wider audiences, some stations have been much more successful than others at achieving this. In this article the author presents a case study of Beat, a regional commercial radio station targeting the ‘digitally native’ (Palfrey and Gasser, 2010) millennial 15–34-year-old market, and one of the Irish Radio Industry’s most successful viral media instigators. During the period of study, 2011–2016, Beat was found to be very successful at engaging its audience through bespoke material that connected emotionally with the cultural community. The success of this viral reach helped the station grow its online followers to numbers that far outnumbered their actual listenership. In this article the author presents an analysis of the viral posts that feature childhood toys as the subject matter and explore why these pieces ‘went viral’. Using the generational theories of Mannheim (1952) and Strauss and Howe (1991) among others to frame the argument, the author posits that users share media texts which connect with them emotionally and by enjoying this material with others are unified as an affective community of individuals. This experience brings the group closer together and closer to the radio station. I also touch on the power of nostalgia as a factor in the viral spread of media texts. This research employed several research methods: in-depth interviews with radio industry professionals, an online survey of radio listeners/online users of Beat, textual analysis of Beat’s Facebook page, direct observation of radio producers and content analysis of social media growth
Informed & educated: when public service radio learns from the commercial radio sector
No full textUsing the Irish Radio Industry as a case study, this chapter illustrates how the Public Service Broadcaster (PSB), Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ), was slow to react to change and the effect this had on the organisation’s competitiveness. This chapter analyses how RTÉ’s youth radio station, RTÉ 2fm, lost its place as the market leader to the competition including commercial station Beat and other stations as it resisted the required technological, social and economic change which ultimately affected its listenership. The author argues that the independent sector led the way in innovation and affected change which greatly benefited the industry as a whole and brought it into the digital age. This research was based on a methodology involving in-depth interviews, online surveys, textual analysis, direct observation and a longitudinal content analysis
The Case of VPL and Industry Focused Programmes in Cork Institute of Technology
No full textAs organisations focus on economic indicators and return on investment their approaches to learning and development opportunities are transformed. In a challenging, competitive climate there is a need to ensure that the long and short term benefits are maximised. This masterclass describes the experience and issues raised for Cork Institute of Technology, a Higher Education Institution (HEI) in Ireland in implementing programmes developed in partnership with industry which are mutually beneficial and maintain academic standards. It also addresses the enablers, challenges and barriers in customised course development
Legal games: the regulation of content and the challenge of casual gaming
No full textThe regulation of video games in the United Kingdom has come under the authority of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) since the 1980s, but the system was extended in 2010 and a new authority will take over from them in due course. This article considers the history of this regulatory system, arguing that the limitations of the Video Recordings Act (VRA) (the governing statute) and the assumptions made by legislators are a result of the gulf between legal and academic understandings of games. Furthermore, the range of games now played, such as casual downloadable games and applications on smartphones and mobile devices, means that the dividing line between regulated and unregulated may be based on history instead of necessity. The author draws upon legal decisions, regulatory statements, and general and specialist press reports, alongside the academic literature on games from the humanities and the social sciences, arguing that an alternative form of legal control could be informed by advances in the academic and cultural understanding of video games
Poking lawyers and politicians
No full textPeer reviewedUn informe sobre el 5è. Congrés sobre Internet, Dret i Política organitzat per la UOC el juliol de 2009. L'autor, que va participar com a ponent en la conferència i va escriure un "blog en viu" durant els dos dies que va durar l'esdeveniment, examina algunes de les contribucions, reflexiona sobre el tema dels llocs d'establiment de xarxes socials ("a favor o en contra?") i explora els diferents enfocaments de les disciplines del dret i les ciències polítiques, suggerint que l'augment de la importància d'aquests llocs és un reflex que consideracions com la privacitat, la seguretat, el compromís polític i els drets d'autoria són objecte d'un debat públic necessari i interdisciplinari.A report on the 5th Internet, Law and Politics Conference hosted by the UOC in July 2009. The author, who attended the conference as a rapporteur and wrote a live blog' during the two-day event, reviews some of the contributions, reflects on the theme of social networking sites (pro or con'?) and explores the different approaches of the disciplines of law and political science, suggesting that the increased importance of such sites means that considerations such as privacy, security, political engagement and copyright are the subject of necessary and interdisciplinary public debate.Un informe sobre el 5.º Congreso sobre Internet, Derecho y Política organizado por la UOC en julio de 2009. El autor, que participó como ponente en la conferencia y escribió un blog en vivo durante los dos días que duró el evento, examina algunas de las contribuciones, reflexiona sobre el tema de los sitios de establecimiento de redes sociales ("¿a favor o en contra?") y explora los distintos enfoques de las disciplinas del derecho y las ciencias políticas, sugiriendo que el aumento de la importancia de estos sitios es un reflejo de que consideraciones como la privacidad, la seguridad, el compromiso político y los derechos de autoría son objeto de un debate público necesario e interdisciplinario
